Electric switch



Jan. 1 a

J. A. TERBECK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 21. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G x .M f a a S a a. a .7 M u 5 J z a J flffo may.

Zia/ afar Jan. 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J A; TERBECK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 21 1921 Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH 'I'ERBECK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

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Application filed February 21, 1921. Serial No. 448,587.

nautomobile dash boards, portable cords and small electrical devices, such as pei'colators, vacuum cleaners and the like.

The switches of the type mentioned now in use, last for a comparatively short period of time, for the reason that the parts are so constructed as to easil form arcs, whereby the contacts are burne away, causing short circuits and destruction of the switch. Further, they contain a multiplicity of loosely movin parts and depend for their operation on coi springs which lose their resiliency due to heat generatedwithin the switch by the arcing caused through imperfect breaking of the current,

t isthe object'of my invention to provide an electric switch that will make perfect contact at all times, and effectively break the current without the possibility of arcing or burning of the contacts and further to provide a ready means of attaching the switch to a wall or casing.

, My invention consists in providing an extremely simple and efficient construction witha. minimum of parts that can be economically manufactured and at the same time carry the current without undue heating, and, further in constructin my device to avoid the use of ioose arts, t us increasin the reliability and li e of theswitch.

y invention further consists in provid iug a means for securing the switch to a wall and whereby the body thereof is hidden, ex osing only the operating knob.

y invention further consists in the parts and combination and arrangement thereof as herein described and claimed;

In th e dr awings: Fig. 1 1s a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my {improved device applied to a wall.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of -the casing removed.

my invention with Fig. 5 1s a plan view of thesame. A

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section in detail of the operating element.

A base 10 composed of insulating material has mounted thereon resilient contacts 11 and 12 secured thereto, by screws 13 and 14 respectively. The screws pass throu h holes 1 15 in the base and are threaded into t readed holes 16 in clamp pieces 17 The resilient contacts 11 and 12, comprise feet 18 having an outer resilient spring section 19 formed thereon and an inner spring section 20 connected by a curved portion 21. Round contact eyes 22 are formed on the lower ends of the inner s ring sections 20.

Means are provided to rmly hold the resilient contacts in their proper position. The feet 18 consist of horizontal plates 23 and vertical plates 24 forming an angle and are received in rabbets 25 in the insulating base. The feet closely conform to the rabbets and are received under the clam pieces 17, the screws 13 and 14 passin t rough holes 26 and 27 therein. As t e clamp pieces closely conform to the feet, the resilient contacts are immovably held in place. An operatingmember 30 comprises a stem 31 having a conducting member 32 secured to the lower end thereof. The conducting member is held about an insulating sleeve 33 received over reduced shank 34: on the stem. An insulatingunember 35 is received between the conducting member and a shoulder 36 on the stem. The conductin member and insulating member are clamped in place by a clam nut 37 received on the threaded end 38 0 the shank on the stem. The conducting member and the insulatin member are perfectly formed in the shape 0 a spheroid as shown at39. By having the conducting member and the insulating member thus formed in the shape of a spheroid and by having the resilient contacts 11 and 12 inturned at 21 I am enabled to so center the parts within the. casin in compact re lation so that the spherioda member 39 may may be reversed in position if desired.' As illustrated in the drawings the operation of making contacts consists in pulling outwardly on the knob from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the osition shown in Fig. 4 but when it is pre erred the same resplt,can be accomplished by pilacing the spheroidal member on the shan 34 in reversed position so that the operation of making contact would be by pushing the knob 45 inwardly. The conducting member has a circular flange 40 formed on its lower end, and the insulating member has a circular flange 41 formed on its 11 per end. A circular flange 42 formed on t e lower end of the insulating sleeve 33 is adapted to insulate the lien e 40 on the conducting member from the 0 am nut. For manipulating the o ratin mam r, an insulating knob 45 whic may he of any suitable shape is received over the outer threaded end 46 of the stem and against a shoulder 47 thereon.

A casing 50 is received about the insulating base, covering the resilient contacts, and the lower end of the operating member and is secured by a. screw 51 passing throu h a hole 152 in one side of the casin a be e 53 in the insulating base, and a be e 54 in the other side of the casing. A nut 55 on the screw firmly clamps the casing to the insulating base. A bearing 56 for the stem 31 is formed on the up r end of the casin Means are prov! ed whereby the switch ma be secured to rear side of a wall or a dish board of anautomobile, thus forming a flush t switch having the operatknob in 51 hi: on the front side of. the we l only. us screw threads 58 are formed on the outside of the bearing 56, and

has a positioning nut 59 received thereabout by a t readed bore 60:- The positioning nut further has a shoulder 61 at the end of the threaded bore adapted to contact the end 62 of the bearing 56. The stem 31 passes through a hole 63 in. the outer end of the positioning nut. The inner endof the celtioning nut contacts the front side 0 the wall and is held thereagainst by a clamp nut 64 received about the screw threads 58 and against the rear side of the well thus firmly holding the switch in place.

The insulating base has a circular bore 66 therein, and located directly below the stem adapted to receive the lower end of theoperating member when the switch is operated.

Electrical conductors 67 and 68 are adapted to be received between the heads of screws 13 and 14 and washers 69 received them -b ut. Recesses 70 in the bottom of the insulating base contain the heads of the them from screws and the washers so as to prevent pppiectinlg beyond the outline of the switch. on t a switch is in the off position so as to interrupt the current, the eyes on the resilient contacts rest on the smaller portion of the insulating half of theis'q lgeroid and against the flan e 41 thereon. a pressure exerted tower *each other by the resilient contacts hold the operating member in the off position. To turn on the current, the knob 45 i dgrasped by the finandpulled outwar ly, the eyes on the contacts are forced outward over the thick portion of the spheroid, and by reason of their spring pressure aid the outward movement of t e stem coming to rest on the smaller portion. of the conducting half of the s heroid and against the flange 40 therebroken. Also, the heat generated is raiiily distributed by the com arativel large of metal in the conducting alf of the spheroid. As the operating member is free to rotate, constantly new and clean surfaces are pr'esentedto the resilient contacts, thus giving long lim to the switch.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electric switch, a plurality of resilient conducting contacts, a stem, an insulating member on said stem adapted to be interposed between said contacts, a conducting member on said stem adapted to establish'electrical connection between said resilient contacts and said insulating member and said conductin member together forming a reversible sp eroid for the purposes set forth herein.

2. Inan electric switch, a plurality of resilient conducting contacts, an insulating base to which said contacts are secured, an cndwise slidable stem, a handle on one end of said stem, a conducting member on the other end of said stem and insulated therefrom adapted to establish electrical connection between said resilient contacts, an insulatin member on said stem adjacent said con ucting member adapted to be interposed between said contacts, said conducting member and said insulating member collectively formin a reversible spheroid, for the purposes set orth herein.

3. In an electric switch, a base com osed of insulatin material, a plurality o rab- .bets in said so, a plurality of resilient conductin contacts secured to said base and in sai rabbets, said resilient contacts comprising feet said feet consisting of a horizontal portion and vertical portions to form angles adapted to conform to said rabbet, outer resilient portions formed on saidfeet, resilient curved portions connecting said outer sections and inner sections, and eyes formed on said named inner sections, :1. casi-ng secured to said insulating base, an endwlse movable stem, a bearing in said casing for said stem, an insulating sleeve on the lower end of said stem, a conducting member received over saidsleeve adapted to establish electrical connection between said contacts, a flange on the lower end of said conducting member, an insulating member on said stem adjacent said conducting memher, a flange on the upper end of said insulating member adapted to be interposed between said contacts whereby electrical connection tlierebetween is broken, said insulatin member and said conducting member on said stein collectively forming a spheroid, and an operating handle on the outer end of said stem. Y

4. In an electric switch, a plurality of resilient contacts, an insulating base on which said contacts are mounted, an operating element comprising a stem, a spheroid on the lower end of said stem adapted to coact with said resilient contacts whereby electrical connection is formed and broken, and an operating knob on the upper end of said stem, a casing secured to and enclosing said base, resilient contacts and spheroid, a wall, a bearing on said casing for said stein, screwthreads on the outside of said bearing adapted to project through said wall, a positioning nut received about said screw threads on the front side of said well, a clamp nut received about said screw threads on the rear side of said wall whereby said casing is secured thereto, and said operating element projecting beyond said bearing and said positioning nut whereby said switch is operated from the front side of said wall.

' JOSEPH A. TERBECK. 

